Language-related Challenges Faced by Emirati Students at an English Medium University in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This study investigates the perceived language-related challenges faced by undergraduate students studying through English Medium Instruction (EMI) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The research focused on four key skill areas: Writing, Reading, Speaking, and Listening, and aimed to identify how these challenges vary according to the students' field of study, year of study, type of schooling (private vs. state), gender, and English language proficiency levels. Additionally, it examined the relationship between academic success measured by student Grade Point Averages and perceived linguistic challenges.

A mixed-methods research design was employed to generate online questionnaire and semi-structured interview data, with descriptive statistics being initially used to identify the self-assessed linguistic challenges. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) explored the relationships between the challenges and the multiple independent variables whereas regression analysis demonstrated the relationship between students’ language-related challenges and their academic success. Overall, the findings indicate that all five variables have statistically significant effects on the linguistic challenges reported by students; these challenges are also a statistically significant predictor of academic success. Academic writing and reading pose the greatest challenge for students, with the starkest contrast between EMI students in Social Sciences and Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS). Compared with students in their fourth year of studies, first-year students surprisingly encounter far fewer challenges, demonstrating increasing levels of challenge over time. Furthermore, state-schooled students report far more challenges than their privately schooled counterparts, especially regarding Writing, Reading and Speaking, and male students had significantly more linguistic issues than female undergraduates in Writing, Reading and Listening. Finally, students experienced fewer language issues at higher language proficiency levels, with the most pronounced difference occurring between B1 and B2 CEFR levels.

The results of this study have answered the call for further comparative research into EMI student language-related challenges at a local level (Macaro and Rose, 2023) by extending its geographic reach into the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region. They also form a basis for a set of recommendations for the university in relation to strategic, systemic and targeted academic language development and support based on an academic literacies model. This would entail the review of the current literacy support in the first-year and concomitant revision of the curriculum as well as the implementation of sustained and embedded development and support in the following years of study through the nurturing of collaborative relationships between disciplinary experts and language specialists and the provision of professional development for both groups.

Date of Award	12 Nov 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Samantha Curle (Supervisor) & Trevor Grimshaw (Supervisor)